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India – Georgia Relations

Relevance  

• GS Paper 2 India and its neighborhood- relations. 
• Bilateral, regional, and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests. 
• Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora.
• Tags: #India #Georgia #IndiaGeorgia #partnership #UPSC #GS2 #BilateralRelations.

Why in the News?

• Comprehensive discussions between India and Georgia on various aspects, including political, trade and economic, consular, cultural, and people-to-people ties.
• The Indian side expressed appreciation for Georgia’s participation in the Voice of Global South Summit.

Other areas of focus

• Focus on energy, agriculture, connectivity, and capacity building.
• Exchange of views on matters of mutual interest in the regional and global context.
• Emphasis on cooperation in multilateral fora.

Historical Background to the Bilateral Relations

Early Links

• Literary and Folklore Evidence: Indications of historical connections and awareness of India in Georgia dating back to ancient times.
• Influence of Indian Fables: Georgian folk legends believed to be influenced by Indian Panchtantra stories.
• Medieval Strengthening: Missionaries, travelers, and traders in medieval ages contributed to stronger ties between the two regions.
• Georgians in Mughal Courts: Georgians are known to have served in the Mughal Courts, with some rising to positions as Governors.
• Georgian Royal Connection: Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb’s wife, Udaipuri Begum, had Georgian origins.

Soviet Era

• Nehru’s Visit: Prime Minister Pt. Nehru’s visit to Tbilisi in 1955, where he was welcomed in Hindi by Georgian Indologist and Sanskrit scholar Georgi Akhvledani.
• Indira Gandhi’s Visit: Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi’s visit to Tbilisi in the summer of 1976.
• Vajpayee’s Visit: Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s visit to Georgia in June 1978 when he was serving as the Foreign Minister.

Post-Soviet/Contemporary Period

• Recognition of Georgia: India recognized Georgia on 26th December 1991, following its declaration of independence in the wake of the USSR’s dissolution.
• Establishment of Diplomatic Relations: Formal diplomatic relations were established on 28th September 1992.
• Diplomatic Representation:
  • No Resident Mission: India does not maintain a Resident Mission in Georgia.
  • Concurrent Accreditation: The Indian Ambassador to Armenia, with residence in Yerevan, Armenia, is concurrently accredited to Georgia.

Institutional Mechanisms

Foreign Office Consultation (FOC)

• Co-Chairs: The FOC is co-chaired by the Secretary (West) from the Indian side and the Deputy Foreign Minister from the Georgian side.
• Fourth Round of talks: Held on 26 July 2016 in Tbilisi.
• Purpose: FOC serves as a platform for discussions on international, regional, and bilateral issues of mutual interest.

India-Georgia Intergovernmental Commission (IG-IGC)

• Co-Chairs: The IG-IGC is co-chaired by the Secretary (West) from the Indian side and the Deputy Foreign Minister (DFM) from the Georgian side.
• Business Forum: Following the first IG-IGC session, a Business Forum at FICCI discussed trade and investment opportunities. A MoU was signed between FICCI and the Georgian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Joint Working Group

• Establishment: In 2019, a Joint Working Group on trade and economic cooperation was established.
• Coordinating Entities: This working group is managed by the Department of Commerce on the Indian side and the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development on the Georgian side.
• Purpose: The group focuses on promoting and facilitating trade and economic cooperation between the two countries.

India’s Development Assistance

Humanitarian Aid

• In December 1994, India provided humanitarian assistance in the form of medicines and relief supplies valued at Rs. 0.5 million. This aid was directed towards refugees and displaced persons from Abkhazia.

Human Resource Development

• Training Opportunities: India’s current assistance to Georgia primarily focuses on Human Resource Development.
• Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC): India offers an average of 25 training slots each year under ITEC.
• Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) Scholarships: Scholarships are provided to enable Georgian students to pursue undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Indian universities.
• Kendriya Hindi Sansthan Scholarships: Scholarships are available for the study of Hindi in India.
• ICCR Chair of Contemporary Indian Studies: A Chair has been established at the Tbilisi State University (TSU) to promote the study of contemporary Indian subjects.

Indian Community in Georgia

Composition

• Diverse Community: The Indian community in Georgia comprises individuals engaged in various professions, including businessmen, workers, and others.
• Significant Growth: In 2012, the Indian community in Georgia experienced a substantial increase in its numbers.

Estimated Population

• Rough Estimates: According to rough estimates, the current Indian national resident population in Georgia is approximately between 2000 to 3000 individuals.

Education and Medicine

• Traditionally, Indian students have been coming to Georgia, specifically to study Medicine at the Tbilisi State Medical University.

Cultural Influence

• Indian films and cuisine have gained popularity in Georgia, reflecting the cultural impact of India in the region.
• Hindi is perceptible and has a presence in Georgia.
• The India-Georgia Cultural Association, known as ‘Bharat,’ actively promotes Indian culture in Georgia.
• This association plays a pivotal role in coordinating Hindi classes in Tbilisi, with support extended by the Government of India.

Trade and Economic Relations

Bilateral Trade

• In 2017, the bilateral trade between India and Georgia amounted to USD 57 million.
• Exports from India to Georgia were valued at USD 48 million, while imports from Georgia to India totaled USD 9 million.

Indian Investment

• Key Sectors: Indian investments in Georgia are significant and primarily directed towards sectors such as steel, infrastructure, agriculture farming, and the service industry.
  • Indian investment in these sectors exceeds USD 400 million.
• Individual Indian investors have acquired agricultural land for cultivation in Georgia, typically holding an average of 10 hectares of land.
• TATA Power, in collaboration with major European companies, has invested USD 166 million in a hydro power project valued at USD 416 million.
• In February 2014, the first-ever visit by an Indian pharmaceutical delegation, consisting of 24 Indian pharmaceutical companies, took place in Georgia under the auspices of
  • The delegation engaged in productive B2B sessions and visited pharmaceutical plants and laboratories in Georgia.

Trade Fairs and Seminars

• In July 2015, the Indian Mission, with assistance from ANM Corporation, inaugurated the ‘Best of India’ Trade Fair in Tbilisi.
• The Indian Mission organized an ‘India Tourism’ Seminar in Tbilisi on 26 September 2014.

Free Trade Agreement

• In April 2017, a joint feasibility study to explore the possibility of signing a Free Trade Agreement between the two countries.
  • The joint feasibility study was accepted, and a Protocol was signed on 11 January 2019 in Tbilisi.
  • Both sides have now formed a Joint Working Group to discuss the Free Trade Agreement, with India represented at the Joint Secretary level in the Department of Commerce.

Source: The Hindu

Mains Question

Discuss the potential impact of the Free Trade Agreement between India and Georgia and its economic dynamics.